Transportation study looks at funding without tolls

The Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization's board will view a presentation Thursday that will explore building major regional projects, such as Patriot's Crossing, a sizable I-64 expansion on the Peninsula and the High Rise Bridge in Chesapeake without a public-private partnership or a toll.

But accomplishing that will largely be dependent on using the entire amount of available regional money, in addition to substantial contributions from the state and federal government.

"We never really worked the numbers to this detail and looked at what-if scenarios," said Dwight Farmer, executive director of HRTPO.

HRTPO's board members are in the process of deciding how to spend the region's portion of funding provided by Gov. Bob McDonnell's signature transportation law last spring.

So far, there's been little movement on deciding which projects to build by the group's board, except for endorsing a preliminary $100 million expansion of I-64 on the Peninsula, a project being paid for by state funds.

But planners say the expansion possible under the scenario using regional, state and federal funds would extend the Peninsula bottleneck all the way to Route 199 in Lightfoot.

The analysis by HRTPO calls for the entire amount of money the region is anticipated to receive over the next 20 years — $5.4 billion — in addition to $736 million generated under McDonnell's transportation bill, which lifted the state sales tax and placed a wholesale tax on gasoline. The state would also have to provide $498 million in funds, with the federal government kicking in $1.9 billion to fund the total $8.7 billion package.

Getting those matching funds would be a challenge, transportation planners said. The Commonwealth Transportation Board would have to authorize the use of any additional statewide funds. Getting the federal contribution might be even harder with increasing focus on reducing the nation's debt.

"I don't think our request with our suggested matching of cash dollars from state and the feds of $2.5 billion to do interstate projects over 20 years is unreasonable," he said. "It is a big request, but I don't think it's an unreasonable request — if we were up to putting that kind of money up in cash from our regional sources," Farmer said.

It's also unclear whether HRTPO's board, comprised of locally elected officials, transit agencies and federal and state officials, would ultimately commit such large portions of regional funds to a mega project such as Patriot's Crossing, which would extend I-564 to Craney Island and to the Monitor Merrimac.

"I do know some of the localities on the Southside are committing to that being the number two priority project," Sen. Thomas K. "Tommy" Norment, R-James City County, told the Daily Press, referring to Patriot's Crossing. Norment is one of the General Assembly members who sits on HRTPO's board and was a key backer of the transportation law the state legislature passed.

"If that in fact is their second priority, we as a region need to come together. Obviously that project is going to absorb very, very significant resources," Norment said.

Del. Mike Watson, R-Williamsburg, said he was skeptical the federal funds would be available.

"I am willing to look at any responsible proposal that can address major projects without tolling," Watson said in an email to the Daily Press. "However, with the number of projects competing for state and federal funding, and without knowing any further details, I am not optimistic that we will be able to get significant state funding for a mega project in the immediate future."

The board meeting will be held at HRTPO headquarters at 435 Woodlake Drive in Chesapeake, starting at 10:30 a.m.